1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to portable communication receivers having memories, and more particularly to a display paging receiver providing displayed receiver operating instructions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As communication receivers, and in particular paging receivers, have evolved from tone only paging receivers, to numeric paging receivers, and to alphanumeric paging receivers, the user interface, or operational controls of such paging receivers have become increasingly more complicated. As the number of functions and features being provided within the paging receivers have increased, it has become exceeding more difficult to provide controls for the receiver operation which are easy to use.
Traditionally, a user operation instruction manual has been shipped with each paging receiver, to instruct the user in the proper methods of operation. However, the use of such instructions manuals presents a number of potential problems. Since the instruction manual is a separate entity from the paging receiver, there is always an issue of where the manual is to be stored when the manual is not being used, and as a consequence, the user operation instruction manual often becomes misplaced or lost.
Many paging receivers today are also available with a number of user selectable options which are programmed into the paging receiver, either at the time the paging receiver is purchased from the manufacturer, or at the time the user secures the paging receiver for use. Thus, much of the user operation information which is provided in the user operation instruction manual may not be applicable to each individual paging receiver user. As a result, it often became more difficult for the user to locate the appropriate information for the features which were provided with the users specific paging receiver.
Because many of the newer paging receivers are implemented using microcomputers which are controlled by firmware routines which are stored in electrically eraseable programmable read only memories (EEPROMs), it has become feasible, in many instances, to add additional features not previously available, by simply reprogramming the EEPROM. When a new feature is added which was not previously available, the original user operation instruction manual would, as a result of the reprogramming, be inadequate for describing the operation of the new feature, and as a result supplemental user operating instructions are required to instruct the user in the operation of the added feature. The supplemental operating instructions, as a result, become yet another piece of paper which could be misplaced, or lost, by the user of the paging receiver.
A number of the newer paging receivers will also be capable of having the paging receiver operating system, or features, reprogrammed by means of radio frequency, or over-the-air reprogramming techniques. In the case of over-the-air reprogramming of paging receiver functions, the problem of providing the user with operating instructions becomes even more acute. In the case where over-the-air reprogramming is provided, arrangements would have to be made in advance, to insure the user was provided with whatever supplemental operating instructions may be required, otherwise the user may find it impossible the operate the reprogrammed paging receiver.
In still another instance, problems with a paging receiver may be detected only well after the paging receiver is placed in service. Many of these problems can be resolved by reprogramming the firmware used to control the operation of the paging receiver. However, in so doing, additional problems may be created which can affect the way the paging receiver is to be operated. When this happens, it is becomes even more difficult to provide supplemental information to alert the user of the paging receiver, that changes in the operation of the paging receiver may be required, especially if the changes indicated are reprogrammed over-the-air.